D-Resort Göcek: A Turkish Delight!
| 28th July 2015
Turkey is a vast country: 783, 562km squared, in fact – with many contrasts. It’s slightly larger than the US state of Texas and bigger than France and UK put together.
We flew into Dalaman for this travel review – which is 17 hours drive to the Syrian border – nowhere near conflict. We didn’t witness any problems and there were no security issues. And why should there be any problems? The trouble is, after all, hundreds of kilometres from where we were travelling.
Some ‘38 million travelers’ are expected to visit to Turkey this year. Following a superb 4-hour flight on what felt like that can only be described as a magic red carpet – we travelled direct from Manchester with Monarch – we were greeted by our driver, who took us on to the hotel within a 20 minute comfortable car journey by road.
D-Resort Göcek brings a new aspect to boutique holidays in Turkey. It is situated in a quiet fishing village surrounded by gardens, offering all natural treasures of the Aegean and the Mediterranean. The area and the hotel is one of Turkey’s best kept secrets!
In ancient times, Göcek was known by the name of Kalimche. According to Lycian legend, this is where Icarus fell to the sea after his famous flight. Göcek could be the start of exciting adventures either by boat around the islands or by car visiting known sightseeing locations.
The hotel is just 100 meters from the harbour and a five minute walk from its own private beach on a seafront of not one, but six marinas.
Set against a stunning mountain backdrop, the area is chic – an upmarket destination for relaxing and unwinding, or for serious sailing and leisurely cruises through its many beautiful and peaceful bays.
This is where the rich and famous of Turkey seek ‘true holiday freedom’. Think St Tropez in France – combined with Puerto Fino, Italy – Göcek is the start of exciting adventures in Turkey either by boat around the islands or by car visiting known sightseeing locations.
The Accommodation
We stayed in a deluxe room pool side accommodation – some 35 m² in size – located on the ground floor of the hotel with a terrace leading directly on to what seemed private pool access. There are two other pools onsite too.
The nautical-themed room have a modern contemporary edge: bleached drift wood effect and brushed steal with all the mod-cons’ you’d expect: TV/gaming and a Nespresso machine.
The premium feel continues in the bathroom with white marble tops and old fashion Victorian taps with dark slate grey tiles. The walk-in wet room is big enough for the whole family to wash in at the same time. Molton Brown products and Egyption cotton towels, robes and slippers add to the luxury.
Amenities
D-Resort has a spa with several treatment rooms, but we didn’t get to see any wet facilities. We had 50 minute Balinese massage – one of the best massages we’ve experienced worldwide.
Espa products are used in treatments, which are tailored to your needs on the day, whether it is for relaxation or total escapism from the outside world. They have a soul of their own, with rituals inspired by traditional cultures and advanced treatments performed by highly trained therapists concentrating on stress-relief, optimizing health and age-defying results.
There’s also a fully equipped gym and classes to make the most of a fitness regime.
Its onsite shop stocks Gucci, Prada Sport- anything for boating enthusiasts really. Don’t expect many other places for shopping though. It’s a bit thin on the ground when it comes to designer fashion labels outside the hotel.
Dining
There’s plenty to choose from when it comes to dining onsite. The Olive Tree is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Breakfast is the really one to get excited about when you stay. It’s a banquet fit for Royalty with a selection of 16 different cheeses and ham, freshly made American and English breakfasts – a pancake and omelette station, fresh fruit and artisan breads all available until 12pm.
Its ‘Breeze’ restaurant – is set on the seafront on its own private beach – offers Aegean cuisine similar to Greek and famous for serving the freshest local seafood, fish, fruits, vegetables and as well as steak alternatives.
After a long-hard day at the beach doing absolutely nothing, we opted for the whole seabass to begin. Caught that afternoon it was fresh and simply delicious!
The beef steak with truffles and triple cooked chips were better than anticipated. The rack lamb was a strong contender on its extensive menu. Outstanding!
We are at this restaurant at lunchtime too. Waiters will take your order from the sun loungers on the hotel’s white sandy beach – imported from Egypt, apparently – and prepare a table right next to your sun bed to dine under the shade of umbrellas while still allowing you to enjoy stunning scenery without having to lift a finger.
There is also a Teppanyaki station and selected sushi menu, making it a unique dining experience in the region – the portions are generous.
Its new Q LOUNGE is quite exclusive with its architecture as well as its menu. Designed by the architects of the world-famous Zuma, it gathers the shareable tastes from Izakaya style contemporary Japanese Cuisine, unique cocktails, an extensive wine menu along with site-specific special music and DJ performances for you listen to while witnessing the magnificent sunset.
We enjoyed discovering what this region had to offer. The customer service at this hotel is second to none: impeccable, in fact – we were looked after very well.
The resort in the area is easily accessible by using one of many of the hotel’s golf buggies, or you can hop on one of the hotel’s bikes which are free to use. Getting on the bike is the best way to get around and seeing what each of the marinas has to offer.
Three or four days is enough if you are seeking rest and relaxation. You have no choice but to switch off given the laid-back holiday atmosphere that the area brings – must be something in the air!
Don’t visit Gocek if you are expecting loud night life with banging clubs. It’s an upmarket area and the locals are likely to discourage drinking and antics from partygoers. Although there is a couple of bars that are claimed to be late night dance bars.
We were particularly surprised by the value for money the region has to offer – you get a lot more for your money in Turkey.
- Average cost of stay per night at the hotel: £150 (through booking agent at time of search)
- Average cost of starter: 20 LT (£4.80)
- Average cost of main meal: 30 LT (£7.25)
- Average cost of bottle of local wine: 25 LT (£6.05)
Hotel Information
Address: D-Resort Göcek- Cumhuriyet Mahallesi 48310 Göcek/Fethiye/Mu?la
Tel: +90 252 661 09 00